At Last, We Meet

Having distanced himself from Lucy's party, Rin immediately used a series of suitable skill scrolls.

He cast two skills to erase his presence and weight, one to boost his luck just in case, one to enhance his physical strength, and finally, his last remaining Special-rank detection skill.

It felt like a waste to use a Special-rank scroll, but it was far better than losing his life by being stingy.

Alright, let's begin the search for the Second Hero's tomb.

It wasn't particularly difficult, as he only needed to scan the surroundings along the coastline.

Since the tomb was an object that spawned based on probability, he had to rely entirely on luck.

Rin walked slowly but diligently.

The reason he didn't use a speed enhancement skill was out of concern that he might walk too fast and miss the tomb.

After he had been walking for a while, the black-clad girl beside him asked sharply,

"Why do you keep following me?"

To be clear, it was the girl who was following him.

At some point, she had stuck close to Rin's side, walking along as if she were guarding him.

"You can see me?"

"Is that even a question?"

Strange. Did the scroll expire?

Of course, skill scrolls didn't have expiration dates.

"Pulse, breathing, body heat... If it's a living creature, I can feel it."

While theoretically true, Rin had used his skills to fade those biological signs.

Sensing the surroundings through those physical markers rather than energy?

As far as Rin knew, that wasn't a trait of the Demon Sword.

The only thing capable of that was a vampire.

A chill ran down his spine.

Realizing his judgment had been wrong, he forced himself to act calm.

"Why are you wandering around alone?"

"Because I want to."

It was a reasonable answer, yet it made him want to argue.

"What about you? Why are you wandering alone?"

"It's only temporary."

"Liar."

The black-clad girl denied it flatly.

"You're carrying everything on your own, keeping all the important things to yourself, and wandering around alone."

"..."

"Do you think that makes you look cool?"

"Not at all."

"You don't even get treated properly, yet you just bottle it all up, telling yourself ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you can endure it."

"I can endure it."

"Liar."

Her second denial.

This one hit a bit heavier.

"The heart isn't that strong. No matter how powerful the body is, it's the heart that supports it. I've seen it countless times—how even the slightest irritation, disappointment, doubt, or tiny crack can lead to wrong actions and disastrous results."

"You talk as if you've lived a long time."

"You don't have to live long to see it."

"What exactly did you see?"

"Would you even understand if I told you?"

On the surface, her words were spiteful, but there was worry hidden beneath them.

"I'll take it into consideration."

"As if you would."

"Still, I'd like to hear it."

"Hmph. It's simple and plain."

The girl stopped walking and looked out at the horizon.

"Whether out of malice or goodwill, by choice or by force, secrets breed misunderstandings. They invite jealousy, envy, resentment, and hatred. Even if the target is someone they once loved."

Her voice was quiet, filled with profound sadness.

"In the end, he was betrayed by the very people he tried to protect. He cried out, but no one listened. And that foolish man was beheaded."

"...Who was that man?"

"Just someone."

The girl started walking again.

"Do you think the burden you're carrying right now is only natural?"

"I'm a porter, so of course it is."

"Don't make me laugh."

The girl acted spiteful again.

"You don't have much time left before you get your head chopped off, either."

Rin stopped in his tracks.

The black-clad girl stopped immediately as well.

"What?"

"I just thought you were being kind."

"Wh-What?!"

"You're worrying about me, aren't you?"

Her pale face flushed bright red.

"Wh-Who would ever worry about someone like you!"

Clutching the hem of her skirt, the girl shrieked at the top of her lungs.

"A powerless human doing such reckless things! And all by yourself! Live like that forever, then! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Struggle all alone until you die!"

"Well... I'm quite used to being alone."

"What...!"

She stepped closer, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Since there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was no hostility, Rin let her approach.

"Did this place tell you to say that?"

Her small, delicate hand pressed against his left chest.

"Did this place, which feels absolutely nothing, tell you to speak in such a way?!"

He felt pity for the girl.

Why did she look so pained?

He was perfectly fine himself.

"I'm a porter. A porter who carries the party's burdens and moves forward."

"You only need to carry their things. Nothing more is required of you."

She spoke as if she knew everything.

But Rin didn't bother to ask.

It felt refreshing to have someone worry about his core nature.

"A porter has to carry all the burdens."

"All the burdens?"

"Yes."

"Then where is your burden?"

The girl circled around Rin, inspecting him, but she couldn't find anything.

"I don't see it. Ah! Is it locked up inside here?"

She poked his chest once more.

"Fine, whatever! Since you said you can do it alone, you'd better do a good job until the very end!"

"Thanks for the support."

"It's not support!"

Dissatisfied with everything about Rin, the girl snorted.

She tried to act cool, but she soon stamped her feet in frustration.

"Ugh! I don't care what happens to you! I won't even spare you a glance!"

The girl's body slowly crumbled into dust.

Not turning into smoke like an illusionist, but drifting away like pollen carried by the wind.

"Safe travels."

"Oh, seriously!"

Once the girl vanished, Rin was certain.

That was a Demon Hero.

And then, despair set in.

"Then where on earth is the Demon Sword...?"

There was no time to lose.

Rin hurried along the coastline.

However, there wasn't even a trace of anything resembling a tomb.

Eventually, he ran and ran, but he still couldn't find the Second Hero's tomb.

"Huff... huff..."

The sun set.

The sky was dyed in the colors of the sunset.

Before he knew it, Rin had walked all the way back to the dock.

Out of breath, he bent over to catch his breath.

Unable to wipe his sweat because of the mask, he forced his head up.

"He's right over there, isn't he? The demon."

Arciel was standing there, pointing directly at him.

Uh... what?

They're already here?

"You bastard!"

Following her finger, Gendry roared, drawing his sword and charging at Rin.

Ah, seriously, since yesterday...

Nothing is going according to plan.

The blade drew closer, right before his eyes.

And then—

"Get away from him, you piece of shit—!!!!!"

A burst of reddish-gold light exploded, filling his vision.

"Something's wrong."

Arciel frowned as the ship approached the dock.

"What is it?"

"I feel demonic energy over the entire island."

At Arciel's reply to Nydrian's question, the entire Hero's party rose to their feet.

Reinhold stepped up to the bow with his shield, and the mage also narrowed his eyes, staring at the island.

When they boarded the ship at the port town, they had expected demons to be on the archipelago, but they hadn't anticipated them to be entrenched so openly.

"Once the ship docks, everyone prepare for combat and disembark."

Tsk, who is he to order me around?

Though she felt a surge of petty rebellion, Arciel silently equipped her Dragon Scale Gloves.

As soon as the ship pulled fully into the dock, the Hero's party leaped onto the pier without waiting.

The few people present gasped in surprise at the sight of the fully armed group and backed away.

"You armed people over there! Don't move!"

Having heard that a ship would arrive around dinner time, Gendry, fitting for the successor to the guard captain, was waiting with his soldiers.

When the Hero's party disembarked from a vessel that was clearly not a simple supply ship, he immediately initiated an inspection.

"Unless you intend to fight us, drop your weapons!"

"You idiot! Demonic energy is practically overflowing here, and you want us to drop our weapons? Do you want everyone to get slaughtered by demons?!"

When the hot-tempered Arciel snapped back, Gendry froze.

Raising his hand to hold back the guards, he tried to calm his racing heart.

"What do you mean? Demonic energy?"

"Damn it, can none of you feel this disgusting energy?"

Even for trained warriors, demonic energy felt unsettling or chilling at best.

Only the Saint, the Hero, and priests associated with the divine could properly distinguish it.

Even then, it was difficult for the Hero to pinpoint it accurately without the Holy Sword.

"We are the Empire's Hero party! This is our certificate bearing His Imperial Majesty's seal!"

As Reinhold held up the parchment, the imperial seal gleamed.

Recognizing it as an authentic Hero's party certificate, Gendry felt like collapsing to his knees in relief.

They had finally arrived.

The ones who would save this island.

And it was the Hero's party itself!

"Please, help us!"

"Vice-Captain?!"

"What are you doing?"

The guards gasped in shock at his sudden plea, trying to pull him back.

Even if they were the Hero's party, their pride wouldn't allow them to kneel before outsiders.

But Gendry paid them no mind and slammed his forehead against the ground.

"A demon appeared a few days ago and hypnotized the island, doing whatever he pleases! Everyone except me has been brainwashed, unable to sense anything wrong!"

"Vice-Captain, what are you talking about?!"

"Vice-Captain!"

"Please, lift your head. I am Reinhold, the shield knight of the Hero's party. If you tell us the details, we will do our absolute best to slay the demon and save the Zramun Archipelago."

"Oh, the legendary Sir Reinhold!"

As the shield knight helped Gendry up, the emotional vice-captain welled up with tears.

Reinhold offered a warm, gentle smile and asked him to lead the way.

"Now, let us go inside and speak."

"No, I don't think that'll be necessary."

"What is it, Arciel?"

"He's right over there, isn't he? The demon."

She pointed her finger toward Rin, who had just managed to catch his breath and straighten his back.

It was a misjudgment born from her ignorance that his arms had been corrupted by the Demon King's energy.

"That bastard...!"

Gendry's eyes widened as he recognized Rin's mask.

No wonder the Demon Sword was protecting him!

"You bastard!"

Pushed to his mental limit, he didn't need to see any more. He drew his sword and charged.

In an instant, he closed the distance and swung his blade toward Rin's neck. But right at that moment—

"Get away from him, you piece of shit—!!!!!"

Lucy flew in, unleashing an explosion of reddish-gold mana.

For some reason, she had discarded the mask she had been wearing for her porter job.

Her crimson sword struck Gendry's blade just in time.

Swoosh!

But immediately after, a hail of arrows from Nydrian came raining down.

Every single one of them was aimed at Rin.

"Aaaaargh!"

Lucy twisted her body, deflecting them all with her sword.

Thank goodness, I protected Rin...

"Hey."

"...?!"

"Is a demon really that precious to you?"

Arciel, rushing in at the speed of the arrows, slipped through Lucy's opening and threw a straight punch.

Directly at Rin.

Thud!

"Cough!"

Perhaps it was a stroke of luck.

Thanks to the luck-boosting skill scroll he had used earlier in the day, Rin managed to dodge slightly to the side, avoiding a fatal blow.

However, the fact remained that the attack had connected. Rin coughed up blood and collapsed backward.

"Hey, Lucy. Long time no see," Arciel sneered, dusting off her hands.

"I didn't want our reunion to be like this."

Regardless, Lucy's gaze was locked onto Rin.

"Ah...!"

She fell to her knees before him.

She checked his chest, which was rising and falling faintly.

And the blood dripping down his chin.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

A blood-curdling scream shook both heaven and earth.

"Ugh?! She's gone completely insane since we last saw her...!"

"Arciel, get back!"

At Nydrian's shout, the Saint hurriedly arched her back.

A crimson blade swept through the space where her neck had been a split second ago.

"Hero! Have you fallen?!"

An irritated Arciel demanded, but Lucy didn't hear a thing.

When she lifted her head, which had been bowed motionless, everyone present froze.

Hot, thick tears of blood were streaming down the Hero's face.

"None of you..."

Reddish-gold mana surged.

"...should expect to leave here alive."

And,

"Don't even think about begging for mercy."

Those who hurt him, those who try to hurt him—every single one of them!

"I will tear you apart with my own hands!"

Lucy's mana was no longer reddish-gold.

It had turned a deep, blood red.

"Severing Slash—!!!!"

The blood-red sword energy sliced the sailing ship at the dock clean in half.